04 Oct 2017 --- Concerned US food industry groups representing farmers and food manufacturers have send a letter to President Donald Trump urging the US to immediately impress upon Japan, Mexico and the Mercosur nations that the lists of geographical indications (GIs) they are considering for approval with the EU must not include “common” food and beverage terms such as “parmesan,” “vintage” and “bologna.”

The groups’ joint press release states that in its trade discussions with Japan and Mexico, the EU is currently pushing approval for lists of GIs that include many common food names. The groups believe it is an effort to monopolize those terms and block market access for various foods, wines and other beverages.

Japan and Mexico are closing their comment periods on the lists within the next few days, after which they are expected to finalize their negotiations with the EU. The Mercosur nations are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The letter to the president is signed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Brewers Association, Consortium for Common Food Names, Grocery Manufacturers Association, International Dairy Foods Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, North American Meat Institute, United Fresh, US Dairy Export Council and USA Rice and Wine Institute.

Strongly worded letter “On behalf of American farmers and food manufacturers across this country, we ask for your direct attention to an issue that could have a significant negative impact on US market access with two major trade partners: Mexico and Japan,” the groups’ letter states.

“If the US government firmly expresses its concerns now to Mexico and Japan regarding the importance of safeguarding common names and terms for all to use, both nations might be more inclined to take the right and just steps in these discussions,” the letter continues. “For the same reason, we strongly encourage firm and clear communications on these points with the Mercosur bloc of countries, the US trading partner region most likely to next initiate a similar process to the ones currently underway in Mexico and Japan in light of ongoing EU-Mercosur FTA negotiations.”

The groups’ press release notes that the Office of the US Trade Representative has recognized what it calls the severity of EU abuses of GI policies, noting in this year’s intellectual property report that “the EU GI agenda remains highly concerning, especially because of the significant extent to which it undermines the scope of trademarks and other IP [intellectual property] rights held by US producers, and imposes barriers on market access for American-made goods and services that rely on the use of common names, such as parmesan or feta.”

The press release continues by noting with alarm that it is an agenda that continues to expand. The groups believe it is likely to threaten even more products, such as plant varieties, moving forward, as is evidenced by the EU’s “market-share grab” of deeming “long-standing and widely used” grape varieties such as “prosecco” to now be GIs reserved exclusively for Italian use.

“Many US companies – and the farmers who provide them with raw goods – will be harmed if Japan and Mexico fully accept the EU lists as is without pushing back and objecting to the inclusion of common terms,” the industry letter states. “We hope the United States will make its voice heard with Mexico and Japan, and in turn with Mercosur countries, clearly stating that we expect them to respect current trade agreements, including our market access rights under those agreements, and that it is in their best interests to safeguard common terms for all producers.”

Talks “hamper” US “The EU’s predatory strategy of using its FTA talks to hamper market access for its competitors, including many small- and medium-sized US companies, must not be tolerated,” states Jaime Castaneda, Executive Director of the Consortium for Common Food Names, which has been coordinating US industry filings on the GI lists in Japan and Mexico.

“As Japan and Mexico prepare to make their final decisions on lengthy EU GI lists that would impair the use of common names, we call on the administration to send a firm message at the highest levels that we expect our trading partners to abide by their existing trade commitments to us and preserve market competition in these common product categories,” Castaneda concludes.

Related Articles

20 Mar 2018 --- Current innovation across the beverage category is centered around health and wellbeing, as sugar reformulation and the broader idea of “lighter enjoyment” continues to dominate new product development. Globally, producers are tapping into the growing consumer demand for enjoyable soft and alcoholic drinks that have been given a clean and clear label makeover as innovators continue to dump sugar and reformulate with more natural alternatives.

19 Mar 2018 --- Most Westerners shudder at the prospect of eating insects, but attitudes towards them vary dramatically across the globe. In fact, around two billion people already eat bugs as part of their diet. As the global population continues to rise, more and more people are looking for insect protein as a sustainable food source. Not only do many insects, including crickets, contain all nine essential amino acids, this type of protein is also sustainable, especially in comparison to traditional meat sources. It takes one gallon of water to produce one pound of insect protein. Almost two thousand gallons of water, by contrast, are poured into every pound of beef that lands on a plate. US-based start-up Chirps Chips is on a mission to educate Western society on the benefits of insect protein in a corn snack.

19 Mar 2018 --- Danish milk, cheese and cream giant, Arla, is set to introduce a new high-tech food label that turns ‘bumpy’ when food has expired on its dairy products. The innovation – developed by a start-up company, Mimica, – holds hope of reducing food waste as labels deteriorate at the same rate as the packaged product, providing consumers with an accurate indication as to whether food is edible, or ready for the bin.

19 Mar 2018 --- French supermarket Carrefour has announced that it was buying a majority stake in Quitoque, French start-up company that delivers meal kits to homes, as part of plans to beef up its e-commerce platform.

19 Mar 2018 --- Syngenta has completed the sale of a portfolio of Syngenta AG and Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd crop protection products to Nufarm Limited to meet the European Commission’s requirements relating to the acquisition of Syngenta by ChemChina.